According to PwC’s Canadian Workforce Study, changes in the way we work will bring opportunities to reimagine collaboration, innovation and project delivery.
“The ways in which Canadians are working together is becoming more fluid. It’s time for organizations to adapt and maximize the potential of their people as we move towards a new world of work,” says Jean McClellan, National Consulting People and Organization Leader, PwC Canada.
Engaging people within the digital workplace
The top two challenges for nearly half of the employees surveyed was maintaining day-to-day work productivity and finding the right work-life balance, especially for those with kids. Additionally, communicating with coworkers in the absence of traditional in-person interaction has been a major adjustment. Employers will need to consider a business strategy that meets the evolving needs of their company, while also considering the changing needs of their people.
Investing in people pays off
It’s no surprise that employers who invest in their people have been able to better adjust amid this uncertainty. According to the survey, two-thirds of Canadian employees reported being provided with upskilling opportunities. This access to upskilling showed increased confidence in the organization’s leadership as well as increased productivity when compared to those who didn’t receive upskilling opportunities.
“As remote working environments become the new norm, the need for digital upskilling is heightened. This was clearly demonstrated in our survey findings. Forty percent of employees who were provided upskilling opportunities, such as learning a new digital program, prior to COVID-19 experienced a jump in productivity during the pandemic,” says McClellan. The study takes the pulse of more than 1,500 employees and 500 employers across the country, looking at perceptions of productivity and effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic and considers how willing Canadians are to return to the office.
